


An Unexpected Surprise

by Jld71



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Brothers, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-16 01:47:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13625970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jld71/pseuds/Jld71
Summary: Dean Winchester is given a surprise that will change his life forever.





	An Unexpected Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> Written for: darkmoore  
> Artist: blusart  
> Big Bang: Dean Winchester Big Bang Challenge  
> Genre: Dean Winchester/Supernatural - AU  
> Warnings: Mention of a dead character   
> Beta: gatorgurl94  
> References to: The Slice Girls, Season 7, Episode 13

**Seattle, Washington**

 

Another state, another city. 

 

It started with a job, like always. They were there to hunt something down, to kill it, to save the day. But, there was never any thanks. No, they weren't in this for the glory, but every once in awhile it would have been nice to be acknowledged. How many times had they saved the day? Stopped the Apocalypse. Well, they had to since they kinda started it. That was an oops they were never going to live down. They’d sacrificed so much for people who didn't know them and at times wanted them dead. They’d even died and spent time in Hell, only to be returned to this world because it still needed them. In the course of their years as hunters, they’d lost so much. Lost count of the things they’d killed. Lost count of family and friends they’d lost to the hunt, to the damned creatures that needed killing. Lost count of how many broken bones, cuts, scrapes, bullet wounds and knife wounds they’d suffered over the years.   

 

When Dean got like this, lost in his own thoughts, he knew it was time for him to distance himself from his brother. He tended to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Something his father had dumped on him years ago. Grilled into him from an early age. Responsibility. Take care of your brother. Watch over him, keep him safe. Somehow, that translated into having to take care of everyone and everything. Space, that’s what he needed. And of course a drink. He’d found himself turning to the bottle more and more as the years went on. He hated to admit it, but it was to lessen the loneliness he felt. The ever present pain he could never shake. Helped with mourning the family that mattered so much to him that he’d lost. He had Sam, but sometimes his brother wasn’t enough. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he shrugged his shoulders. He’d deal with all that another day. 

 

**The Cobalt Room**

 

Dean had separated from Sam, leaving Sam back at the motel, needing some time apart. He needed a drink and was happy to settle with the first bar he came to, which is how he ended up at the Cobalt Room. It looked like any other bar in any other city. Normal looking enough, ordinary, it was as good as any other place to get a drink and unwind. He wasn’t really looking for anything or anyone. But, if something happened, who was he to say no? Can’t deprive the ladies. But, he’ll play it off as research for the case. See if anything was amiss in the area. He’d mingle with the locals. Do his own research. Yeah, this was all for gaining information for their current case. At least that’s what he told himself. He pushed any further thoughts away and pulled door open. Dean was met with the smell of alcohol, perfume and cloying stink of cleaning products as he entered. He found an empty table in the middle of the room and claimed it for himself. The waiter appeared and took his drink order. He returned a few minutes later with Dean’s whiskey, set it down on the table and left him in peace.

 

That's when Lydia came into the picture. He watched as she walked into the bar. She stood by the door, surveying the room. At first she looked unsure, like she was as trying to figure out if she should stay or go. She turned her head, looking out the window, as if she was waiting for someone to arrive. Then again, it really didn't matter. She turned back and set her eyes on Dean. A predatory look crossed her features. Had Dean not,  just moments before, turned his attention from her, he'd have seen it. The look of hunger. Of one who'd just found a tasty morsel to devour. He would have told her to go to hell. He would have downed his drink and left. Realized he really didn't need the shitstorm that was about to rain down on his life. Fate could be a real bitch like that sometimes.

 

Dean sat at the table, sipping his drink. The table and bar tops were illuminated blue from underneath. Someone probably thought they were so clever, blue lights and naming it the Cobalt Room. He shook his head at the obviousness of the whole thing. He hadn't noticed her walking over to him, lost in his thoughts as he was. “Mind if I join you?” He hadn't come in looking for anything or anyone. Just wanted a drink. He considered her, cleared his throat and motioned for her to sit. “Sure, why not?” 

 

The waiter came over and took her drink order. Dean motioned for another of what he was drinking. The waiter walked away, returning to the bar for their order. “I’m Lydia.” She said, extending a hand to him. He shook it, looking her over. “Dean.” They were interrupted from further conversation when the waiter placed their drinks on the table. Once the waiter left, their conversation resumed. She placed a hand on his arm, drawing his attention to the touch and then he looked at her. Her eyes appeared dark and hypnotic. Maybe it was the lighting, dark bar and those stupid blue lights. She flashed a predatory smile, white teeth showing, at him and tossed her long red hair over her shoulder. Her fingers trailed up his arm, resting on his bicep. He could have sworn he saw her lick her lips when she did this. He watched as she played with a piece of her hair before resting her hand over her drink. She picked it up, swirling the ice against the liquid in the glass before taking a sip.

 

Coyly, she looked at him. “So, Dean tell me what do you do for a living?” Her eyelids fluttered at him. He got the feeling she was flirting with him. He smiled, no harm in a little white lie. It’s not like he was going to see her again. “I’m an investment banker.” She practically cooed at his words. “Oh, are you successful?” Oh, yeah, definitely flirting. “I’ve had my share of successes. The business has its ups and downs. But, I’m usually more up than down.” The flirting continued. After several drinks, both had lost count, Lydia made the first move. 

“So, why don’t we take this to a more private place? Say, my home? I’m not too far from here.” She gave him that come hither look and he was definitely interested in seeing her home. Sure, why not, he thought to himself. He was game. They paid for the drinks and walked out to Dean’s car. Ever the gentleman, he held the door open for her before getting in and starting the car. Following her directions, he drove the few miles to her home. Once there, he followed her in not really looking at the house or the decor. They made their way to Lydia’s bedroom, a trail of clothing the only trace of the direction they’d come from. Sometime late in the night, Dean found his clothes, dressed and slipped out of the house. Not taking a look back, be got into his car and drove off.

 

Dean returned to the motel managing to make his way into the motel room he was sharing with Sam without much difficulty or noise. Looking over at Sam and seeing he was still dead to the world, Dean gave a small sigh of relief then went into the bathroom to wash up. The last thing he wanted was to hear a lecture or answer questions from his brother. Sam meant well, but didn’t seem to grasp the need to live a little every once in awhile. Their lives were hard enough as it was, he prefered to take the good when it came his way. Tonight, it came in the form of Lydia. He smiled thinking about the time they had just spent together. No strings attached, just the way he wanted it. Not so bad, really. Yawning, he turned off the bathroom light and made it to his bed before sleep started to claim him, a smile still on his face.

 

Dean woke to Sam sitting on the bed opposite him. “What time did you manage to make it back last night? Or, was it more like early this morning?” 

 

“Oh, come on Sammy, when are you going to get that stick outta your ass? You gotta live a little.” Dean said in between stretches. He tried to burrow back under the blankets, but Sam continued talking to him. He let out a sigh, knowing he wouldn’t be going back to sleep. Sometimes sharing a room with his brother was a pain in the ass. Like now. He wanted to sleep a little more. Sam wanted to start the day. So, Dean decided to compromise. He laid in bed, eyes closed listening to Sam. 

 

Sam narrowed his eyes at Dean. “Yeah, well, you seem to be doing enough living for the both of us.” A grumpy tone entering Sam’s voice had Dean looking at him and shaking his head.

 

“When’s the last time you got some action? Maybe that’s what you need. Plenty of girls at the bar I was in last night. We can go back if you want.” Dean offered with a grin, knowing he was needling his brother. The chances of his brother saying yes were slim to none and his bet was on none. 

 

“I’m good. How about you get up and get dressed? So, we can do what we came here to do. You do remember we’re here to figure out who or what may have killed those men?” Sam stood, fixing his tie, while giving Dean a pointed stare.

 

No one could say Sam wasn’t consistent. Or was that persistent? Really, he was a pain in the ass at times. Kinda came with the territory of having and being a little brother. Whatever, Sam was still trying to get Dean out of bed and not letting up. All Dean really wanted was at least an hour or two more of sleep. Somehow, Dean had an idea that wasn't going to happen.

“Yeah, but maybe if you know, spent some time with someone, you wouldn’t be such a tight ass about everything. Man or woman, whatever. Not judging. It might be good for you to . . .” Dean’s voice trailed off when Sam interrupted him.

 

“Dean, I said I’m fine. Just drop it.” The spark of anger in his voice surprised Dean. He wanted to say more to Sam, but he let it go. There was no reason to start a fight over something like this.  

 

Groaning, Dean climbed out of bed. As he passed Sam, he looked at him. “Bitch.” Then continued into the bathroom. A smirk on his face as he closed the door.

 

”Jerk.” He heard Sam yell to him before he closed the bathroom door. “Get your ass ready. I’m not waiting all day for you.”

 

Dean rolled his eyes at Sam. Sam was great at having perfected the bitchface, but had nothing on Dean as far as the eye roll. Fifteen minutes later Dean was showered, shaved, dressed and out of the bathroom. Tossing the T-shirt and sweatpants he’d slept in on the bed, he grabbed his gun and FBI badge. “Okay, first coffee, then the police station.” He was waiting for Sam’s bitchface to emerge and was surprised when Sam agreed without complaint.

 

They made a quick stop at the local diner for coffee and bagels to go before heading in the direction of the police station. They’d been two streets away from the diner when an alert on Sam’s phone notified them of a new crime scene and victim. Dean turned the car around and headed back the way they’d come from. Parking the Impala a few houses away, they walked the short distance to a three story house. They took notice of the quiet area and the people mulling about watching the police activity going on at the house. It looked like a typical quiet neighborhood you’d find in any city in the US. Yellow crime scene tape separated the onlookers from the area. Flashing their badges at one of the officers, they were allowed access to the crime scene and directed to the second floor apartment.

 

The crime scene had been bloody and violent. The male victim had been thrown so hard against the wall that his imprint had been left in the sheet rock. Judging by the pools of blood next to the victim, his hands and feet had been cut off while he had been still alive. A symbol had been carved into his chest. He was the fourth victim baring this mysterious symbol who had died under similar circumstances. The symbol was something neither Sam or Dean had seen before. After reviewing the crime scene, body and speaking to anyone that might have information, they headed to the medical examiner’s office. It was worth a shot to compare the previous victim’s injuries with the latest one. 

 

Entering the medical examiner’s office, they flashed their badges and introduced themselves as Agent Hanniger and Miller. The M.E. introduced himself, but told them to just call him Eddie. Nodding, Dean was the first to speak, directing his questions to Eddie. 

 

“Well, they died from the same type of injuries. Nothing else found on or in the body?” Dean said while he looked over the medical report. He flipped through the pages again after reading it to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. Looking at the M.E. He handed the man back the report. “Anything out of the ordinary that’s not listed in this report?” 

 

The M.E. cocked his head, confusion setting in. “Like what?” He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against his desk.

 

Dean looked at the man, but before he could answer, Sam interjected. “Well, that’s why we’re asking you. Sometimes an M.E. might come across something that’s out of the realm of possible. Then, they leave it out of their report instead of being questioned about the findings. You know, instead of being referred to as nuts.”

 

Shaking his head the M.E. answered. “No, sorry. Nothing strange, aside from not having any hands and feet. Plus, the symbol carved into his chest.” His eyes widened as he remembered something. “Wait, there was something. He bit his attacker. I ran the DNA through the database. No hits, but it was strange.” He stopped, thumbing through another report that he hadn’t shown them.

 

“Strange, how?” Sam had stepped closer to the man, trying to see the report. 

 

“Uh, the DNA isn’t quite human. I mean it is, but it’s got some type of abnormality in it. It’s probably been contaminated. Could have happened when the DNA was tested.” He said, shaking his head as he read through the report again.

 

“What kind of abnormality?” Sam’s eyes narrowed. He took another step closer.

 

The M.E. looked up, surprised to find Sam standing so close to him. “Well, it shows that the DNA is from a fetus. But, that’s impossible.”

 

Nodding in agreement, Sam turned to Dean. “Yeah, must have been contaminated. Well. I think we’ve gotten all the information we can for now. If we need anything else we’ll be back. Thanks for your help.” Sam nodded to Dean, indicating they really were done. 

 

Stepping into the hall Dean turned to Sam. “DNA from a fetus? How is that possible?” Putting a hand up, he smirked. “Forget I even asked. Strange, weird and impossible are our bread and butter. What are you thinking?”

 

Sam leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. “I think we need to figure out what that symbol means. The symbol is tied to this and has to mean something, right? I mean, why carve it into a guy’s chest if it doesn’t? ”

 

A look of sadness passed Dean’s features.Shaking his head, he muttered more to himself than Sam. “Yeah, well our expert is no longer with us. Damn it Bobby.” 

 

They had Bobby’s collection of lore books and journals, but it wasn’t the same. He had been so much more to them then just a hunter or a go to person when they needed information. He’d taken on the role of father to them, even when their own father had still been around. It was a sore spot, especially for Dean. While Sam missed the man, he’d been able to deal with Bobby’s death better. At times Dean envied his brother for that. Maybe it was just Sam’s personality that gave him the ability to deal with things and let them go. Maybe it was the demon blood that had been fed to him as an infant and that he’d become addicted to for a time. Or, maybe it came from being locked in a cage in hell with Lucifer and then being brought back without a soul for a time. Whatever it was that made Sam the way he was really didn’t matter. Sam had his own way of dealing with Bobby’s death and Dean hadn't pressed him about it.

 

In the back of his mind, Dean could hear Bobby’s gruff voice telling him to stop being an Idjit. Stop his boo-hooing and get his head in the game. He gave a soft sigh at his own thoughts and then looked at Sam, half expecting Sam to know what he was thinking. But, Sam never said a word, seeing the cloud of pain covering Dean’s eyes.

 

Sam let Dean come out of his thoughts on his own before speaking to him. “We need to find another expert. I’ll search online when we get back to the room. There’s gotta be someone in the area who could take a look at the symbol. They may not know it’s origins, but maybe they can point us in the right direction.”

 

Dean shrugged, his face impassive. “It’s worth a shot. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

 

It was mid afternoon when they left the medical examiner’s. After stopping to grab take out, they headed back to their motel room. Dean looked through some of Bobby’s books while Sam did research on line. Dean was lost in the book when he heard Sam calling his name. 

 

“Dean. Dean.” Irritation seeping into Sam’s voice as he waited for Dean to focus his attention.

 

Dean looked up, tired eyes meeting Sam’s glare. “Huh? What, Sammy?” Dean looked at the bedside clock radio, seeing it was nearly seven-thirty at night, he sighed and closed the book he'd been holding.

 

“I think I may have found something. More to the point, someone who might be able to help us. His name is Morrison and he’s part of the Anthropology department at the local college. It’s not far from here. Grab your coat, let’s go.” Sam stood, closing his laptop and then grabbed his jacket. Not waiting for a reply, he left the motel room, walking out to the parking lot and getting into the car to wait for Dean.

 

A heavy sigh escaped Dean’s lips. He’d been hoping to get some sleep. That wasn’t in the cards for him right now. He rubbed his hands over his face trying to clear away some of the exhaustion he felt. He looked longingly at his bed and sighed. There were times when he wished he was an only child. This was one of them. Grabbing his coat, he followed Sam out to the car. “Ok, Sam, where to?”

 

Dean followed Sam’s directions and a short twenty minutes later they were knocking on Professor Morrison’s campus office door. The man eyed them suspiciously at first, dressed in their customary shirts, jeans and boots. They produced their FBI badges and introduced themselves, as they sat in the chairs offered to them. Seeing the professor eyeing them, Sam felt the need to explain their clothes. “We thought we'd wrapped our investigation up for the night, but our research brought us to you.”

 

“Gentlemen, what can I do for the FBI, especially at this time of night?” Eyeing the time, the professor noticed it was past eight o’clock at night. “This must be important if you’re out this late. You’re lucky you caught me. I just finished teaching a class about half an hour ago, just grading some papers before heading out. 

 

Dean’s tired eyes narrowed into slits as he looked over the man. “The government never sleeps.” Dean was cut off from further comment by Sam.

 

Standing up, Sam produced a photo of the symbol carved into the flesh of one of the victims. “Have you ever seen this before?”

 

Taking the photo into his hand, the professor looked at it and then up at Sam and then at Dean. His mouth opened and closed before he was able to get the words out of his mouth. “Is that a person’s chest?” He looked down at the photo again, turning a light shade of green. Taking a deep breath, he was able to get his stomach under control.

 

“Professor, just focus on the symbol.” Sam bit back the desire to snap at the man. The tension was evident in his voice. “Please.” He gave the man a tight smile hoping it would smooth over his tone. He squeezed the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the start of a headache. He turned his attention back to the professor, hoping the man knew what it was he was looking at.

 

The professor focused his attention on the symbol. “Interesting.” He looked at the symbol, turning the photo to look at it from different angles. He seemed to be lost on his own thoughts. 

 

Sam looked back at Dean. Dean sat with his eyes closed, hand over his forehead, rubbing the skin. At that moment Dean realized it was going to be a long night. Dean stifled a yawn, wishing Sam had come alone to speak with the man. The two probably would have gotten along great. Understanding each other’s geek speak. Yet another time tonight he wished to be an only child and longed for his bed at the motel.

 

“Interesting, how?” Dean found himself asking the man. Hoping it would speed this conversation up.

 

“Well, it’s not something I’m familiar with. It could be an offshoot of another religion or language. That’s what can be so tricky with ancient languages, written or drawn. With a drawn language, if you curve a symbol to much, you can change the meaning. When it’s written, it’s a little harder to change the meaning, unless it’s written in a code.” A smiled crossed the man’s lips. Clearly he was drawn into the mystery of just what the symbol meant.

 

Dean stood, coming closer to the man’s desk. “So, you don’t know what this is or what it means?” Dean could feel the tension in his muscles intensifying. Frustration and the desire for sleep getting to him and putting him on edge. He felt raw and at the end of his limit for the night and wanted to get out of the man’s office, even if it was only to step out into the cool night air.

 

The man shook his head. “I’ll need to do some research.”

 

Sam interrupted the professor. “How long? How long will it take you?”

 

“A couple of days, at least.” Morrison slowly stood up. 

 

“This is part of a murder investigation. We don’t have a couple of days.” Anger and frustration showing on Sam’s features.

 

Dean placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “What my partner is trying to say is, you have twenty-four hours to get us an answer as to what this symbol is or means. Or, we will have the IRS so far up your business you won’t be able to sit without wishing you’d acted faster.”

 

The man nodded his head, too intimidated to speak. Leaving the photo with the professor, they walked to the door. Sam turned back to him. “Your government thanks you for your help. Remember, this is information doesn’t leave your office, unless you want jail time as well.” The man collapsed in his chair at Sam’s words.

 

As they walked back to the Impala Dean looked at Sam. “Well, that was so not helpful.” The sarcasm was beyond evident in his tone. 

 

“Dean, give him a chance. I think we motivated him enough that we’ll know something by tomorrow.” They drove back to the motel in silence. 

 

Once back, they both picked up where they had left off in the research they had been doing. Despite both being exhausted they continued researching past midnight. With heavy lidded eyes, Sam looked over at Dean from the table he was at. Dean had fallen asleep sitting up in bed with a lore book on his lap. Sam closed his laptop and pushed himself away from the table. He picked up Dean’s book and marked the page before setting it on the table. He pulled a blanket over Dean before allowing himself to drop onto his own bed. With a groan, Sam rolled over onto his stomach and was soon blissfully asleep.

 

There was a knock on their motel room door. From the bathroom, Dean’s tired sounding voice called out. “Sammy, you got that?”  He could hear Sam’s feet shuffling to the door. A few moments later, the door opened and Dean could hear low voices speaking. The door closed and Sam called out for him. “Ah, Dean. This is definitely for you.” 

 

Dean grunted in response. He’d just gotten out of the shower and would be damned if he was going to rush to get dressed. Sam knocked on the bathroom door. “Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.” Dean opened the door, running a hand through his short cropped sandy brown hair. Irritation showed on his face as his eyes fell on Sam. He stopped short of swearing when movement from the area of the door caught his attention. Standing there was Lydia. The woman from the Cobalt Room. His one night stand from two days ago. Lydia, standing there in their motel room. Holding a newborn baby. A baby? Where the hell did that come from? There wasn’t a sign of a baby when he’d been at her house. His eyes searched Lydia’s face, looking for a clue as to why she was there. How the hell had she found him? His eyes moved to the baby, a look of confusion washing over his features.

 

A tight smile played on Lydia’s lips. She looked straight at Dean, cheeks pink from the rush of blood coloring her face. She moved into the room, coming closer to Dean. “I saw you in town last night and followed you here. I took a chance that you’d still be here this morning.” 

 

She gave Sam a tentative glance, not sure who he was or why he was there. Sam smiled at her, trying to blend into the background. Which is pretty hard to do when you towered over everyone at six feet, four inches. Sam looked at Dean and shrugged. He knew enough not to say anything. He could see Dean’s muscles tighten in reflex at a perceived threat. He watched as Dean’s stance changed from one of relaxation to a fighter’s response, being on the ready to defend.

 

The look on Dean’s face more than said it all. He stood there, green eyes opened wide in disbelief. Lips parted in a silent O of shock. He had to swallow a few times, trying to get his mouth to form words and his voice to sound out. “Uh, this is Sam, my brother.” 

 

She nodded her head in acknowledgement. She didn’t really care. She’s wasn’t there to meet the family. She was only there to protect her child. She stepped closer to Dean, shifting the baby in her arms as the diaper bag slipped off her shoulder. 

 

“Are you in some kind of trouble?” Dean finally managed to ask. Inwardly groaning. Had he known she had a kid, he would have walked away before anything happened. He had one rule for himself, he didn't sleep with women who had kids. He didn't want anyone getting too attached, himself included. His lifestyle wasn’t really suited for kids. He wasn’t the role model type. The only family he had was Sam and he was only family Dean needed; Sam he knew, felt the same way. Lydia’s laugh drew his attention back to her and the baby.

  
  
  


“Trouble? You could say that.” She dropped the diaper bag onto the floor. “Dean, this is Emma. She’s our child.” The words were barely spoken above a whisper, but heard by all in the room. Dean and Sam exchanged glances at each other. The, “this chick is crazy,” type of look passed between them. 

 

Dean laughed. “The last time I checked, it took nine months to make a baby. We were together less than what, forty-eight hours ago? That’s kind of impossible.”

 

“Not if you’re an Amazon.” She shuffled Emma from one hip to another.

 

“You're what now?” Dean’s smile faded from his face. He felt himself reaching for his gun. The one resting on the nightstand next to him. He looked over at Sam, seeing him tense. But, Sam shrugged, just as confused as his brother. 

 

“Look, I'm not here to fight you. I need your help. Please.” 

 

Sam stepped forward, arms reaching for Emma. “Why don't I take Emma for a bit while you two talk about this situation.” Lydia turned to him, a grateful smile on her face. Carefully she handed the baby over to Sam. “Thanks.” She rubbed her arms, trying to get feeling back into them. While she'd had her back to him, Dean had reached for his gun and slipped it into the back of the waistband of his jeans. 

 

Sam smiled down at the baby, noticing the green eyes looking back at him. The same as his brother’s. Her cheeks were pink. Her little plump lips opened and she stuck her tongue out. Her arms reached out, waving in the air before settling back against her stomach. Sam reached over and pulled the blanket from one of the beds. He tossed it on the floor and began to spread it out. Gingerly he settled down on the floor, back against the wall, long legs stretched out in front of him. He placed Emma on his legs, letting her settle against his warmth. Her eyes began to close. She brought a fist up to her mouth suckling as she drifted off to sleep. Sam tucked the baby blanket around her body, swaddling her the best he could.

 

Dean never took his eyes off of Lydia. “Why do you need my help?” Dean watched as she sat on the bed looking up at him. She motioned for him to join her. Dean remained rooted to the spot he was in.

 

“Look, I know I kept the truth from you and you have no reason to believe me or help me, us.” She said, as she motioned in Emma's direction. 

 

“Yeah well, it's not like we were in a relationship based on truth and trust.” 

 

“I come from a long line of Amazon women. We leave our home when it's time to add to our clan. We find a pleasing man and breed. Within thirty-six hours we give birth to a female child. Which, is what happened between us. But, something wasn’t right. I knew just by looking at her; she’s a fully human child. Emma should be progressing at what you'd considered an alarming rate. She shouldn't still be a newborn. She should be about three years old, if not older. In another day, she should be coming of age. She'd be around sixteen in your human years. She'd be branded with our mark and sent out to kill you. It's our way.” She shrugged as if that would take the sting out of her words. Pushing up the sleeve on her right arm, she showed them the symbol they had become familiar with. 

 

“Look, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I've had about enough of your kind of crazy bullshit.” Dean crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I think you need to take your kid and leave.” 

 

Lydia stood, facing Dean as he pointed to the door. “She's our daughter. She's human, like her father. Like you. If I take her with me, my clan will kill her. Her life will be over before she even has a chance to live.” Her shoulders shook with the sobs escaping from her lips. “Please, don't condemn her to death. You have to take her, protect her. Please.” Dean watched as she collapsed onto the bed, head in her hands as she was overcome with grief. 

 

She looked up at him. “It wasn't easy coming here. Admitting this to you. You were never supposed to survive past the end of the weekend. I know you have no reason to trust me or even believe me, but it's all true. Please, raise our daughter. At least with her father, I know she would be safe. I can't take a human child with me. It's not allowed.”

 

Dean scoffed at her words. If she only knew who she was speaking to, she would have never dared to come here. “I'm not an investment banker. We're hunters. Our job is to hunt down supernatural creatures. My job is to kill things like you. We're here to investigate the unnatural deaths of four men. I'm guessing they slept with your friends” 

 

Lydia flinched at his words. She stood, meeting Dean’s eyes. “Yes. Then do what you need to do to me. But please protect Emma. She’s innocent in all of this. I have no one else. Emma has no one else.”

 

Sam spoke, bringing their attention back to him and the baby he was holding. “Dean, I think she's telling you the truth. I think Emma is your daughter. Hold her.”

 

“Did you drink the Kool-Aid Sammy?” Dean’s features were unreadable, but the tension in his voice was evident. Sam gently placed Emma on the blanket so he could stand. Reaching down, he picked up the sleeping child and walked the few feet to Dean. He pushed the child into Dean’s arms and watched as he cradled her. Dean pushed aside a part of the baby blanket she was swaddled in, looking into the soft features of the little sleeping face. His eyes widened as his heart and mind both realized at the same time that he was holding his child. In his arms slept his daughter. His daughter. He had a child. Life was about to change for him.

 

In their lives, he and Sam had run across so many things that most people would never believe. Things that couldn't be explained. Angels and demons were real. Vampires and werewolves existed. So, really was it all that hard to believe that Emma was his? He had to admit to himself that he'd thought about what it would be like to have a family of his own. But, he'd never dared to voice that thought out loud, not even to Sam.

 

He looked over at Sam, seeing the protective look already on his face. He knew that he and Sam would love this child and protected her, keep her safe from what they hunted. Die for her if necessary. He turned to Lydia, only to find her gone. He handed Emma back to Sam and crossed to the open door of the motel. Looking out, into the parking lot, he saw the Impala and one other car that had been parked there overnight, but saw no sign of Lydia. 

 

On the trunk of the Impala was a neatly stacked pile of baby items.

 

“Son of a bitch!” He turned back to Sam. “She's fucking gone. Now what?” The question was spoken more to himself than to Sam. Because he knew what he had to do. Raise his child.

 

“Where does she live? Maybe we should . . .” Dean turned to his brother, holding up a hand to stop him. Both knowing even if they did go to Lydia’s home, she'd be long gone. Why waste the time or effort?

 

Dean looked over at Sam who was still holding Emma. Placing a hand on the nape of his neck, he nervously rubbed the area. “Yeah, so that just happened.”

 

Dean left Sam holding the baby and went out to retrieve the items from the car. He returned carrying a car seat and stroller combination, pack-n-play and a few items he wasn't too sure what they were. He dumped everything on the bed and looked down at the pile of items. Some of the things he was familiar with, while others he had no idea what they were for. He felt his chest tighten as he realized he had no clue as to what to do. He'd been in over his head a couple of times in hunting. This didn't compare. He was lost. Emma was screwed having him as her father. Maybe she'd be better off with a normal family. It's not like he even knew what normal really was or how to even give it to her.

 

He felt Sam's hand on his shoulder. “Don't worry, we'll figure it out.”

 

Dean could only nod feeling his throat closing, stopping any words he tried to speak. He sat on the bed opposite of the one with the baby items and stroller. He brought his hand up to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. A sigh escaped his lips. “Well, clearly Emma's going to need more than this.” He waved his hands at the pile. 

 

“Dean, we can go get the things she needs right now. Grab the diaper bag and the stroller. We'll put the car seat in the back seat and the stroller in the trunk. No, we can't do that. We’ll have to put it in the back as well.”

 

Dean nodded and picked up the bag. Sam held Emma out away from his body and looked at Dean. “Ah, Dean, I think she needs to be changed first.”

 

“What the hell do you want me to do about it?” He grunted in answer to his own question, knowing out of the two, he was the only one who had any experience with a baby. It wasn't like he didn't know what to do do. He'd changed Sam's diapers for Christ sakes. He tossed the bag on the bed and rummaged around until he found what he needed. “Put her on the bed.” 

 

Once she was in the middle of the mattress, Dean stepped in front of Sam. He went to work unsnapping the sleeper she was in, freeing chubby little legs. Gently he cleaned her and wrapped a fresh diaper on her before redressing her. He tossed the dirty diaper away and picked Emma up, cradling her against his chest. He caressed the top of her head before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. He breathed in deeply, committing her smell to memory. 

 

Without a word, Sam picked up the diaper bag and wheeled the stroller to the car. He pulled open the back passenger side door and tossed the bag in. He separated the car seat from the stroller and installed it for Emma. Sam said a silent prayer hoping he'd done it right. He figured out how to collapse the stroller and pushed it past the car seat, resting it on the floor behind the driver’s seat. He stood up to find Dean standing there, watching everything he'd done. He stepped back to allow Dean to place the baby in her car seat. He heard Dean snap the harness in place, making sure it would keep Emma secure and safe.

 

Just as Sam was about to get into the car, his phone rang. Digging it out of his pocket he checked to see who it was before answering. Dean stood next to the driver’s open door, a look of irritation on his face for having to wait. “Professor Morrison.” Hearing the name, Dean rolled his eyes and mouthed to Sam to hurry up. Sam shot him his infamous bitch face to shut him up. Dean threw his hands up in exasperation before sliding behind the wheel. “Amazons, you don’t say. Yes, that is interesting.” The one sided conversation went on for several minutes before Sam spoke again. “Thank you for calling. The FBI appreciates your help in this case. Just remember, this is classified information, not to be discussed with anyone else.” Sam ended the call and got into the car. Dean looked at him, waiting for Sam to give out more information.

 

“Well it seems that Lydia was telling the truth. Amazons are a tribe of warriors who serve the goddess Harmonia. The carved symbol stands for the goddess and the tribe. The women leave their tribe in search of men to conceive with, the mating cycle is every two years. The birth of a female child happens thirty-six hours from conception. According to what the professor said, it’s believed that after birth, the aging process speeds up only to become normal when they reach sixteen. Then they are sent out to kill their father as a rite of passage before they’re fully accepted into the tribe.” Sam made a few notes in a notebook before looking at Dean. 

 

Dean looked into the rear view mirror at the sleeping child and smiled. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing I dodged that bullet.” 

 

Sam just grumbled at him and told him to drive.  

 

Starting the car, Dean slowly drove to the nearest retail chain store hoping it would have everything they’d need for Emma. 

 

With a sigh, Dean pushed past the feeling of overwhelming fear as he grabbed the stroller. Trying to open it, he looked at Sam who was holding Emma in her carrier. Sam smiled reassuringly at him, seeing the rising panic in his older brother. He handed Emma to Dean and took the stroller. “There’s a foot lever that opens and closes it.” 

 

Pressing down on it, he extended the stroller and pushed it toward Dean. Dean just stood there, not knowing what to do. Sam took the carrier and attached it to the stroller. Dean looked at Sam in dismay. “How did you know to do all this?” Sam chuckled and jammed his hands into his pockets. “I googled it. I saw the stroller brand and looked it up. It’s not like this is familiar territory for us.” Dean grunted in response, shaking his head and berating himself for not thinking of doing it himself. He groaned inwardly, he was never gonna get the hang of this. 

 

“I also made a list of things we’ll need for Emma. Because until today, I had no idea what a baby would need. Apparently a lot. Look, I know this is a lot to take in right now. But you’re not alone. Emma has her dad and her uncle. We’ll figure it out as we go along. It’s not like babies come with a set of instructions.” Sam gave him a look of sympathy as Dean looked down at the stroller holding the sleeping newborn.

 

Dean placed a hand on the stroller handle and pulled it in front of himself. “Yeah, I’m a little out of my depth here. A lot’s changed since you were a baby and I was only four when I helped dad out.” Sam grabbed the diaper bag and followed Dean into the store. Grabbing a shopping cart, Sam dumped the bag in the child seat and then he and Dean made their way to the baby section. Reading down the list, they filled the cart to overflowing with diapers, formula, bottles, wipes, toys, baby shampoo and tub, bibs and anything else they thought they would need. 

 

“Babies sure need a lot of crap.” Dean mumbled to himself. “Do we need anything else?” Before Sam could answer, Dean answered his own question. “Clothes. She needs clothes.” He vaguely heard Sam telling him he was going to pay for what they already had and load the car up. Sam made his way to the checkout line to pay for what they already had in their cart and then out to the car. Once everything was packed away, he returned to the store to find Dean.

 

Dean made a beeline to the clothing section and stopped. Looking at all the pink, yellow and purple in front of him made his stomach lurch. He looked down at Emma and set his mouth into a determined line. Yup, he sure was he out of his depth. Blue, black, green, red and maybe even brown. Those were the colors he understood. Could deal with. Do hearts and rainbows even go together? With a shrug, he walked over to a rack of baby clothes and began to move the hangers around.

 

“Do you need some help?” Dean turned around to find a store clerk standing behind him. “You look a little lost there.” Pushing the stroller back and forth he looked at her and then at the clothes. Well, if she was offering, he’d take her up on the offer of help. “Yeah, my first. Got sent out to pick up some extra clothes.” Dean shrugged and ran a hand under his chin. The woman laughed at the shellshocked expression on his face and patted his arm. “Not many first time fathers would do that, let alone take a newborn with him shopping. Come on sweetie, I’ll help you out. My name is Abbie.” Peering into the stroller she looked at the sleeping baby. “So, who do we have here?” Dean looked at the older woman trying to decide if she was a threat. Demons came in many forms. Sometimes it was too late when you figured out the nice person helping you was actually about to kill you. Deciding she was most likely what she seemed to be, he introduced himself and Emma. 

 

“She’s beautiful, congratulations.” Dean smiled at the response. It wasn’t like he could say what he really wanted to say.  _ Yeah, she’s beautiful, but not what I wanted. Hadn’t planned on her, hadn’t planned on having kids, ever. Or a wife, not that I have one. Don’t live the kinda life where they’re an option. Not unless you want them to become a casualty or a liability. Or they wake up one day and realize they want take what you do. Didn’t sign up for the shit you bring home, that follows you home. Did I mention I’m a hunter who kills supernatural beings? _ If he said that, she’d probably back away slowly and call the men with the butterfly nets to cart him off to the loony bin. Huh, might be a nice break being there, compared to dealing with this right about now. 

 

Sam found Dean still in the baby clothes section. He watched as Dean followed the clerk, grabbing things she suggested. His lips curled into a smile, watching Dean carefully trying to balance the items in one hand and push the stroller with the other. Dean already had one stack of clothing on a display table, to which he added what was in his arm to the pile. The clerk found another cart and helped Dean put everything they had selected in it. Shaking his head, Sam walked over to help his brother. It was possible he’d have to do an intervention if this went on any longer. “Dean, you ready? We got everything we need?”

 

Dean turned in the direction of the voice. “Yeah, Sam we are.” He smiled at the clerk. “My brother. Thanks for all your help. You were a lifesaver just now.” 

 

Abbie smiled at him, wished him luck with Emma and gave a little wave to Sam before returning to folding clothes for the display table. Sam took the cart and pushed it to the checkout line. “Why don’t you get Emma in the car while I pay for all of this?” Sam said as he handed the diaper bag to Dean. Dean looked down at Emma and walked out softly talking to her. “Come on Emma, we got this, right?” 

 

Sam walked out of the store and back to the car where he found Dean leaning against the Impala  holding Emma, as he fed her a bottle. Dean looked up as Sam approached, a questioning look on Sam’s face. “She woke up and started to fuss. Figured she was hungry and there you go. She stopped fussing.” 

 

Sam chuckled and started shoving the bags into the car with the other stuff they bought earlier. Dean looked at Sam and then Emma. “We need to get our stuff and put distance between us and here. I know Lydia said she'd be safe with me, but I don't want to risk Emma’s safety.”

 

They returned to the motel with a fed baby, who needed a change and clean clothes. Dean didn’t bother taking the stroller. He carried her inside and placed her on the bed as he fished out a diaper and a clean outfit. Once done, he placed her in the pack-n-play and went out to help Sam finish bringing in the bags. They piled everything by the table and then collapsed in the chairs. Exhaustion showed on both of their faces. Dean rested his head in his hands, trying to relax. 

 

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. How about I go grab us something and bring it back? Then we can call it a night.” Dean leaned back in the chair, eyes closed. “Yeah, Sammy, that sounds good.” Dean tossed the car keys on the table. “Just get me whatever.” Dean heard the jingle of the keys and the door closing and sighed. 

 

Dean didn’t hear the Impala pull out or return. It wasn’t until Sam was shaking him that he’d realized he’d fallen asleep. Sam pushed the bag of food in his direction and sat down. They ate in silence, too tired to talk. Once done, they cleaned up the trash and Dean checked on Emma. She was blissfully asleep. Not caring about changing, he laid down on his bed and was soon asleep. Sam wasn’t too far behind. Sam changed, shut the light off and tossed himself down on his bed.

 

Sam woke to find Dean looking down at Emma. Stirring in the bed, he sat up. “What time is it?” Dean looked over at him and then the clock. “Early, it’s six in the morning. Got up when Emma started to fuss. Fed and changed her; she settled right down. It doesn’t matter what that professor or even Lydia said. It doesn’t mean anything Sam. She’s mine. Come on, we need to pack up and get out of here. We need to find a place off the grid where she’ll be safe.” Dean murmured, more to himself than to Sam

 

After packing everything into the Impala, a nearly impossible feat, they left the motel putting as many miles between themselves and Seattle as quickly as possible. Dean didn’t start breathing again until the had driven over three hundred miles. They ended up in some out of the way town for the night. 

 

Knowing they couldn’t live in motels or the Impala, Dean was determined to figure something out. After settling into a motel for the night, Dean started up his laptop. A safe place to live was the topic on Dean’s mind. He started searching for cabins, away from large cities and towns, not wanting neighbors near by. Two hours later and a bottle feeding and a diaper change later for Emma, Dean had found a prospect. Satisfied with what he found, he checked on Emma before turning in for the night. 

 

He waited until Emma had been fed and changed before showing Sam the cabin the next morning. Dean sat with Emma in his lap as Sam looked over the listing. After reading everything, Sam looked at Dean and smiled. 

“This looks great. I think we should do it. We can sell the land Bobby left us and use that to buy the cabin” 

Dean’s eyes widened with surprise. “We?” 

Sam looked at him, beginning to think Dean didn’t want him moving in. “Yeah, unless you don’t want me . . .” 

Sam’s voice trailed off as Dean held up a hand. “No, I’d like it. I just thought you wouldn’t want to. . .”

Dean looked down at Emma, it was one thing for him to drop everything, change his life for her. She was his daughter, not Sam’s. Sam didn’t owe him anything and he hadn’t dared to hope that Sam would stick around. 

 

“So, then it’s settled.” Sam said. “ I’ll put a call into the realtor and set something up for us to look at it.” 

 

Dean watched as Sam continued to look at the site. “Hey, Dean did you see this? This looks promising, especially for you.” Sam slid the laptop back to Dean. Dean looked at the screen, seeing a small auto repair shop for sale. This would solve their problem of how to provide for Emma if they bought it. Before he could voice any concerns, he heard Sam on the phone speaking with the realtor. “Yes, my brother and I are interested in the cabin and the repair shop that are listed for sale. We’re traveling and will be in the area in a day. Great, sounds perfect. We’ll come to your office when we get into town.

 

**Casselton, North Dakota**

 

In the process of finding the cabin, Dean had also managed to buy a small auto repair shop. It was funny how things just fell into place. Dean had always been great at car repairs. Now he had his own shop and a few employees. Dean was fair in his prices and treatment of his customers and employees. He was well liked by them which kept business flowing in. He’d also managed to branch off into auto restoration. Having done well with two other classic cars and a motorcycle, he was getting to be known for his skills. He had three cars lined up, waiting for parts and paint before selling them. As long as he had the Impala, he never felt the desire to keep the cars. Dean had also expressed an interest in looking into taking a few classes in business. Sam had offered his help and support. 

 

Sam worked on the books for the repair shop. He booked the appointments, ordered the parts and stocked the shelves. It wasn’t a full-time job, so he was able to take a few online classes. He was still trying to figure out what he wanted to do. Recently, he’d discovered he liked working with figures and had signed up for a couple of online accounting classes. Life for both of them had finally settled in favor of them. Neither one was dropping their guard when leaving the cabin or dealing people, but no threats had come at them. They broke all contact with their old life, including angels, demons and hunters, with the exception of Jodi & Donna. Sam had been the one to reach out to Jodi Mills, Donna Hanscum and a few other hunters to let them know he and Dean were no longer in the business of hunting. It was a shock to all who knew them. The only greater shock was when Jodi and Donna were told the real reason why.

 

Once Emma had come into their lives, the decision had been made for them. Dean was the first to say it out loud, he was leaving the hunting behind. He had a daughter to take care of, a human child who needed him. Emma was his, his flesh and blood. He wanted a normal life for his daughter. There was no way he was raising her the way their father had raised them. He vowed that Emma would never live the life of a hunter. Sam knew then, he never wanted to be separated from the family he had.

 

Dean happily accepted his responsibilities and never looked back. Dean had always been good with kids, but this was on another level. He was attuned to her every need. Rarely did he rely on Sam to take any of the responsibility of her care on. He was up at two in the morning for her feedings. He bathed her, changed her, sang to her, rocked her to sleep. He’d created a safe and structured environment for Emma with play time, nap time and story time. He even did different voices for the characters in the books. And Emma, she loved it. Her eyes never left her father. Even when playing, she kept an eye on him. Even when Dean was out of her sight, she never cried or fussed. She simply waited for him to return. It was if, even as a baby she knew he was there for her and would never abandon her. 

 

Dean thought back to the first time Emma actually cried. Emma was an easy baby, rarely crying. Not much made her react with tears. She seemed to take everything in stride. Except maybe her first bath. That first time Dean gave her a bath was fraught with anxiety. He filled the baby bath tub with warm soapy water. After undressing her, he carefully lowered her into the water while supporting her head. Her eyes widened at the strange sensation of water against bare skin. It took a moment for her to draw in a breath before letting out an indignant wail. A few tears fell as she continued to voice her complaints for a few minutes. Her arms and legs moved in the water, cause it to splash her belly. Dean soothed her waiting for her to relax before picking up the washcloth to bathe her. 

 

He started with her head, working his way down to her plump little belly. She cooed as he rubbed in circles, lifting her up slightly to wash her back. He made sure to wash her hands, fingers, feet and toes. He felt her relax as the bath began to make her sleepy. He repeated the steps a second time making sure all little body parts were washed and rinsed. Lifting her from the bath, he placed her in a dry towel, wrapping her tightly to keep her warm. He carried her into her room and placed her on the changing table. He unwrapped her and got her ready for bed. A tiny yawn escaped her bow shaped lips and Dean watched as heavy eyelids blinked slowly and closed.

 

After kissing her on the forehead he placed her in her crib. He stood over her, making sure she was asleep before turning on the musical light. Soft classical music played as the light projected silhouettes of dancing princes and princesses. He left the room, taking the damp towel with him and leaving the door slightly ajar. He returned to the bathroom to empty and clean the bathtub. He thought about taking a shower until he realized he’d left the portable baby monitor on the charger in Emma’s room. He’d also forgotten to turn it on. Not willing to risk waking her by going back into her room since she'd just fallen asleep, he decided to wait until Sam got home. He tossed the towel over the shower rod to dry and walked into the living room to watch a little TV. 

 

As time went on, bath time got better for both of them. Emma didn’t cry when lowered her into the water. Once she figured out the water wasn’t something to be afraid of she relaxed as Dean would wash her. Now, it was the task of keeping the bath water in the tub. More often than not, Dean was soaked by the time bath time was over. Emma had discovered that kicking her legs caused the water to splash her and Dean. He’d learned very quickly to bathe her while only wearing a pair of shorts. This cut down on waterlogged clothes. 

 

Sam had never seen Dean so happy, so content. Having used the money from the sale of Bobby’s land to buy both the cabin and the garage they had to downsize from the original cabin in order to afford both places. They had settled into a small cabin, a mile away from the nearest neighbor. The cabin may not have been ideal on space, but it was for safety. There was only one actual bedroom, which was made into Emma’s room. The walls were painted a soft pink. They had managed to find a crib, changing table that doubled as a dresser and a rocking chair in a second-hand store. There was a small dollhouse under the window which was covered by a curtain in soft pinks and yellows which matched the bedding for the crib. One corner was filled with several pillows in different sizes and cloth dolls. 

 

The main living area of the cabin consisted of a kitchen connected to a living room in an open concept. Toward the back of the cabin was a closet, a bathroom and a set of stairs leading to the loft area. He and Dean shared this as their bedroom. There was a back door which lead out to a deck that wrapped around the back and left side of the cabin ending at the front porch to the cabin. They were able to cook out on a grill they’d bought and often sat on the deck at night. Sure, they had to share a lot and gave up a lot but it was worth it. 

 

Most nights, Sam found Dean asleep on the couch, not more than ten feet from Emma’s bedroom door. Sam had learned after a few nights in their home, not to try and wake Dean. The first time he had, Dean thought someone was in the cabin trying to hurt Emma. He’d managed to hit Sam in the jaw, setting him on his ass before he realized who it was. If Dean did climb the stairs to his bed to sleep for the night, Sam always found him the next morning asleep on the couch. 

 

The cabin had been warded against all manner of supernatural creates, demon and angel alike. They had decided to leave nothing to chance. Protecting Emma and providing her with as normal a life as possible was their top priority. Loving her was never an issue. They would both die for her. It amazed Dean at times how Emma had managed to change his life. Had their parents ever felt this for him or Sam? He had vague memories of Mary telling him she loved them both. John, had always been one to show very little in the way of emotions, good or bad. There were times now, he found himself wishing both parent were there to see their first grandchild. With a smile he looked over at Sam, hoping one day he’d find this with a child of his own. Just maybe not the way Emma had come into their lives. He wanted for his brother to be happily in love and with a child of his own.

 

Their guns had been replaced with baby clothes and diapers. Their lore books replaced with baby books. Baby toys were scattered around the living room instead of research. Beer bottles, were no longer bought, something no one saw coming and their place in the fridge had been replaced with baby bottles and sippy cups. It was a home. Their real first home since Dean had been four and Sam only six months old. It was theirs and neither would trade it for the world. Even though the items from their past had been replaced, they weren’t gone for good. The thought that something might come after Emma was ever present in Dean’s mind. He kept a few weapons hidden from Emma and out of sight from Sam. 

 

Sam noticed the list that Dean had been compiling. He glanced down at it and the focused his full attention to it. Frowning he picked up the “to do” list and read over it.  His eyes widened in disbelief at the words on the paper. He read it again, just to be sure he actually understood the words before calling out to Dean. Dean walked in from Emma’s room, stopping next to Sam.

 

“Am I reading this right? Does this really say anti possession tattoo and Enochian protection tattoo for Emma? Dude, you can’t tattoo a baby.” Sam turned to face Dean, paper in hand. Dean grabbed at the paper, taking it from Sam.

 

“Why, not? It’s to keep her safe. You know what’s out there just waiting to use her to get back at me or you. They’ll use her against us. Kill her just to hurt us. You think I’m going to leave her unprotected?” Dean’s eyes narrowed at Sam, flashing with anger. His lips were set in a thin line, waiting for Sam to answer him.

 

Sam stepped back. “Of course not. But, she’s just a baby. No one will touch her in order to tattoo her. She has to be eighteen. Plus, it’s illegal. There are other ways we can protect her.”

 

Dean scoffed at Sam. “Illegal? When has that ever stopped us? I know a couple of guys who’d help us out with this.” Pulling out a chair from the table used as their dining table and research area Dean sat down. He felt the tiredness hit his body as he rested back against the chair. He rubbed his face with both hands before cradling his head in his hands. “I just want to keep her safe. I want her to have a normal life. What we never had.” 

 

He felt the reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I know you do. And she's lucky to have you. We’ll figure this out. But tattooing her isn't the answer.” 

 

Dean nodded, knowing Sam was right. It had been a knee jerk reaction in an attempt at making sure she was safe when she wasn't with one of them. Dean crumpled up the paper into a tight ball. He let out a sigh and brought a hand to the back of his neck, trying to rub out the tension. He was so tired. A tired he’d never known before. If this is what he and Sam were dealing with, what did normal parents do? The ones who were blissfully not aware of what was out there? Right now, he wished he was one of those parents who didn’t have a clue about demons, witches, vampires, werewolves and any other thing they had hunted. Life would be so much easier right now. He’d thought hunting was hard. Keeping Emma safe was much more difficult.

 

“Why don't you get some sleep? You've been at this non stop. I can catch her for awhile. When she wakes up, we’ll play. I can read her a book, but I'm not doing the voices.” Dean felt Sam nudging him away from the direction of the couch. “Dean, sleep in your bed, not on the couch.”

 

“Yeah, I could use a couple of hours of sleep. Oh, and Sammy, you’ll do the voices.” Dean walked to the stairs and wearily climbed them to the loft. Thankfully he wasn't wearing shoes, the effort to take them off would have been too much. He let his body drop onto his bed and he let out a groan. He rolled over onto his stomach and buried his head under the pillow. Within a few moments he was sound asleep.

 

Sam waited for a few minutes, giving Dean time to fall asleep before wandering into Emma’s room. He looked down at the tiny form sleeping in her crib. She had managed to change their lives in a way that no one saw coming. He sat in the rocking chair, watching as her tiny chest rose and fell in even breaths. The sound of movement and babbling woke him. Realizing he must have dozed off, he got up and went to Emma. He picked her up and brought her to the changing table. Wide green eyes looked up at him. She brought a fist up to her mouth and began to suck on it as she was changed.  “Ok, Miss. Emma, your dad’s taking a much needed nap. So, it’s you and me for awhile. What shall we do?”  She cocked her head to the side listening to Sam’s voice before looking around the room. Her lips turning slightly downward as she realized Dean wasn’t in the room. Her eyes narrowed into slits, as if accusing Sam of having done something to her father to keep him away from her. 

 

He would have snorted at that look if he didn’t think he’d cause her to cry. Right now, it was like a female Dean in baby form looking at him. “How about a story?  But, I’m not doing the voices.” He grabbed a book and settled them both into the rocking chair. He did find himself doing the voices and silently cursed Dean for being right. After finishing the book for the third time, he got up with Emma and made his way to the kitchen. After placing her into her highchair he went about getting her a bottle and some teething biscuits. He sat and ate with her, not taking his eyes off her for fear of choking. He smiled as she greedily gobbled the biscuits and drank her bottle. He turned his back to grab a wet cloth to wipe her clean with when he heard her bottle hit the floor.

 

“What’s this?” Sam turned to see Dean bending down to retrieve the bottle. “Are you being a nasty little drunk to your Uncle Sam? I guess you’re shut off from milk.” The smile on Dean’s face couldn’t be missed as it lit his eyes. Emma reached for Dean after tossing Sam another accusatory look his way.

 

Sam shrugged and threw up his hands. “What? I told you he was taking a nap.”

 

“She giving you a hard time?” Dean cradled her against his chest as if trying to shelter her. Sam shook his head. “No, but I think she thought I was hiding you. But, we had a good time. Didn’t we Emma? We read and just had a snack.”

 

“Thanks. Sam. I guess I needed some sleep.” Dean placed a kiss on Emma’s head and smiled.

 

“Dean, you know you’re not alone in this, right? I know she’s your kid, but I am her uncle. I’m happy to help out.” Sam looked at his brother, holding Emma and smiling at her like she was the only thing in this world that mattered. Sam realized at that moment that Dean lived for his child. And he wished for the first time since Emma came into their lives that his parents could see Dean. Despite how their dad had been, Sam knew he’d be proud of his oldest son. Not really knowing their mother, he hoped she’d feel the same sense of pride for Dean that Sam did. 

 

Dean looked up at him, wide eyed. He was stunned by Sam’s words. In the back of his mind he knew this, but had never wanted to tie Sam to Emma or himself for that matter. He could only nod his head, afraid his voice would betray his feelings. The rest of the day was spent playing with Emma. 

 

After putting her to bed, Dean sat on the couch watching TV, but not really paying attention to what was on. Sam came over to check on Dean and offer to make him something to eat but found Dean had fallen asleep. Grabbing the blanket off the back of the couch, Sam covered him, shut off the TV and left the small light over the sink on before climbing the stairs to the loft. He lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling for awhile.  

 

Sam looked at the scene in front of him and laughed. He doubled over, holding his stomach and gasping for breath. Dean was covered in baby food. He had it on his face, hands shirt and jeans. Sam wiped away the tears that had formed from the laughter. “What happened? Did you have a food fight or did you miss your mouth?” He looked at Emma who was smiling away, baby food covering her face and hands and then back to Dean and started laughing again. Dean picked up Emma’s spoon and looked at her and then Sam. 

“So you think this is funny?” 

Through laughter and gasps for breath, Sam managed to wheeze out. “Yes.” Dean scooped up some of the baby food that was on the tray to Emma’s highchair and winked at her. Dean looked down at himself and then Emma and began to laugh. What caused Dean to gasp for breath was Sam’s reaction when he was hit with in the middle of his chest with the leftover baby food. Sam’s eyes widened in disbelief, his lips formed a silent O and then his face flushed before he spoke to Dean. 

“Dude, what the hell is wrong with you? Have you lost your mind?” He looked down at his chest with a look that could only be described as horror as the blob of pureed squash dripped down the front of him. 

Through his laughter Dean managed to agree with Sam’s earlier assessment of the situation. “Yeah, that is pretty funny.” 

 

Dean just about stopped breathing when the squash dripped from Sam’s chest onto the floor with a loud splat. Dean held his stomach from the laughing as he stood to get paper towels to clean up the mess. He handed a couple to Sam so he could clean himself up and the floor. He took the tray off and left it in the sink to soak. He wiped Emma and himself down before taking her out of her highchair. “Ok, time for a bath, clean clothes and then a nap.” 

They disappeared out of the kitchen as Sam called after them. “You’re doing the laundry, right?” Dean’s response was laughter filtering from the bathroom.

 

Dean’s laughter could be heard coming from the small bedroom. Sam watched from the loft as Dean carried Emma into the main living area and then the kitchen. Sitting her down in her high chair, he asked if she wanted grapes or strawberries. Her tiny hands clapped as Dean fed her a piece of strawberry. She cooed at the taste. “Strawberries it is.” 

He said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. He puttered around the kitchen before returning with a plate of sliced strawberries. He sat, sipping his coffee watching his child eat. It never got old, having her here, seeing her smiling face each morning, kissing her goodnight at the end of the day.

 

Dean looked up at the rustling sound coming from the loft. “Sam you up?” Dean turned to Emma. “Do you think your Uncle Sam is awake? I bet if we told him the coffee was ready, he’d probably come down? What do you think?” 

A tiny giggle escaped Emma’s lips, bringing a wide smile to Dean’s face. Without waiting, Dean got up, poured another cup and left it on the counter for Sam. He turned, to find Sam standing next to Emma. She reached up with her chubby little hands. Sam leaned in for a kiss, getting covered in strawberry juice. Dean tossed him a wet cloth, laughing. “She just finished her fruit.” Wiping himself and them Emma, Sam turned to Dean. “Yeah, I can tell.”

 

Sam grabbed his coffee and joined the two at the table. “So, what’s on Miss Emma’s agenda today?”

 

Neither wanted to be far from her, knowing what lurked out in the world. It was hard to let her be a kid, but they were trying. Most times actually succeeding. Sam did have to stop Dean from punching the pediatrician when he tried to give Emma one of her shots. Her cries of pain and the fat tears rolling down her face had Dean up and pushing the doctor against the wall. His hands were in tight fists as Sam grabbed him, pulling him away from the man. Thankfully, the doctor chalked it up to him being a single, first time parent. Then there was the day Dean took Emma to the petting zoo. There hadn’t been anything to fear, just laughter at seeing her reactions to the different animals. There had been a lot of picture taking. Every day, one or both of them were documenting her life in photos.

 

“I came across a playground not far from here. Figured we’d take her and let her run around. Get some fresh air. Pack some snacks and see how it goes.” Dean looked over at Emma. Her strawberry blonde hair had been pulled back into a tiny ponytail. Dean never thought he’d be the one to do that, but it wasn’t lopsided, so that was a win. Green eyes stared back at him. “Da da” came from Emma as she reached for him. Without question, he stood and scooped her up. Holding her close to his chest, taking in the scent of baby shampoo. “What do you say, want to go outside and play?” She clapped her hands and just repeated “Da da.” 

Dean walked away, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

 

**Emma’s First Birthday**

 

Dean began planning for Emma’s first birthday. At first, he’d planned for a clown themed birthday, just to piss Sam off. Even though Sam kept telling him he no longer had a fear of clowns, the vein in his temple would pop out when he saw a picture of a clown. Dean enjoyed torturing Sam with the prospect of clowns. Talked about it for over three weeks. Showed him what he planned to buy at the party store when they walked through it. 

 

Eventually though, Dean relented. A clown themed birthday for Emma really wasn’t what he wanted for her. As fun as it would be to torment his little brother, he didn’t want to scare Emma. As she took her afternoon nap, Dean left Sam to care for her while he went out. Pulling into the mall parking lot, he parked a couple of rows away from his desired store. Walking in, he grabbed a cart and started walking the aisles. He decided on a pink and purple princess theme for Emma. He noticed the store employee watching him and flashed her a smile before turning back to the paper plate display.

 

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Dean turned, finding the employee standing next to him. Looking down, he saw that the woman’s name tag read Staci.

 

“No, I think I’ve got it covered. Just picking up a few party supplies.” 

He grabbed what he needed and tossed it into his cart. He watched as Staci went back to stocking a shelf. He reminded himself that this was normal behavior for people. Adding a few more items to his cart, he made his way to the counter. Another employee was at the register ready to cash him out. After paying, Dean grabbed his bags and headed out to his car. He tossed the bags in the backseat and headed to another store. He found himself standing in the local bakery, looking over pictures of different cakes and wondering what in hell he was doing. Trying to pick out a cake for his one year old daughter, he reminded himself. Flipping back and forth between a couple of pages, he settled on a cake design. The woman behind the counter came around to help him.

 

“First time ordering a cake?” She asked with a broad smile.

 

“Uh, yeah. That obvious? Growing up we didn’t really celebrate a lot of stuff.” He looked down trying not to let that get to him. He showed her the cake he’d chosen and explained who it was for. The woman’s smile grew, if that was even possible. She made a few notes about the design and colors to match what he’d bought at the party store. She took his deposit and gave him the receipt with a pick up time for the date he’d requested.

 

One more stop and then he was done. At least he hoped he’d be done. He checked his phone before pulling out of the parking lot. No frantic texts from Sam. No texts at all. Taking that as a good sign he made his way to the local chain store to pick out Emma’s first birthday present. He wandered around for awhile before stopping at the children’s section. He could hear a nagging voice in the back of his mind, get Emma a special birthday dress to wear. He looked through several before finding just the right one. It was a pink dress with purple balloons on it. He grabbed the size he needed and dropped it into his cart. He made his way over to the toy section. Looking at everything, he felt lost. What do you get a one year old? He knew about guns, not dolls. With a sigh, he walked up the aisle looking at everything. He settled on a baby doll that came with a pacifier and bottle. He also picked out a plastic doll crib to go with the doll. Not knowing if Sam would want to pick out his own gift, Dean grabbed a play phone and a stuffed, fluffy white cat. Worst case, he thought this could all be from him if Sam didn’t like what he picked out. 

 

He was just about to walk to the register when he remembered that birthday presents usually come in gift bags with cards. At least this should be easy. Grab a couple of bags that fit the presents and two cards and go. Until he found the card and wrapping aisle. He let out a groan at the five aisle in front of him. He found a couple of pink and purple gift bags and tissue paper and dumped them in his cart. The cards were the last thing he needed. There were all types. Funny, religious, sentimental. Why was this so complicated? He finally found one for niece with tumbling elephants on it. A few rows down, he found one for daughter with a princess on it. He added those to his cart and walked to the register to pay. 

 

When Dean finally made his way home, he was met by Sam and Emma on the cabin floor playing with a ball. Sam sat with his legs stretched out in front of him, parted so he could roll the ball. Emma sat, mimicking him. She’d clap, waiting for him to roll the ball. When he did, she’d wait for the ball to roll before trying to snatch at it. When she got the ball, a little laugh escaped her lips and she smiled. Sam would have to prompt her to roll the ball back since she’d clutch it to herself. “Come on Emma, we can’t play if you don’t roll the ball back.” She looked at him with big green eyes and shook her head. Smiling sam prompted her again. Emma looked at him, clutched the ball tighter. “No!” She shrieked at him. Seeing Dean, she dropped the ball, got up on shaky legs and ran to him. Bending down, arms outstretched he scooped her up and smothered her with kisses. She giggled and put her little hands on Dean’s cheeks and kissed him. “Da da.” He went from smiling to beaming upon hearing that word. 

 

Sam stood up, shaking his head. “Oh, yeah daddy’s girl for sure.” Dean looked at him with wide innocent eyes. “Yeah, like you don’t know it. Did you get everything? Need any help?” Dean put the squirming child down and watched as she went after the ball. “Yeah, got something from you too. When she goes down for the night we can get the stuff from the car.” Dean sat on the couch and watched Emma playing with her ball. “Hey, I called Jodi, Alex, Claire and Donna. Looks like they will all be able to make it. Since they're four hundred miles away, they're gonna come up the day before and stay in Fargo. Since they’re staying there I figured it’d be easier if we just took Emma to them.”

 

Dean sat listening to Sam. He made a valid point, they weren’t in the hunting business any longer, but the others were. Neither he or Sam wanted to risk Emma’s safety by having hunters at their cabin. They could drive the hour it would take them to get to Fargo and meet up at the hotel for the day. “Ok, Sam sounds like a plan. They got a place we can have Emma’s party? I’ve got everything for it, cake, plates and presents.” Sam pulled out his phone and looked up the hotel. “Yeah, they have a place. I’ll call and make sure we can get it.” Sam walked into the kitchen and made the call. Once done, he came back and sat down next to Dean. “All set.” After Emma went down for the night, Dean and Sam brought the bags in from Dean’s shopping trip. Dean showed Sam everything he’d picked out and was relieved when Sam was happy with what he’d picked up on his behalf. 

 

The next week went by quickly. Dean brought Emma to work a few hours each day. She’d stay in his office playing until one of his employee’s wives would pick her up for a few hours. Lisa would take her back to her and Tom’s home to play with their two kids. Dean was able to focus on work and Emma was around kids her own age. It had been tough at first to let Emma go. But, Sam had sat him down and talked to him about, the need for separation. It wasn’t doing anyone any good keeping her cooped up at home or in the office with only him and Sam as the only interaction she got. Reluctantly he’d agreed, after he did a thorough background check on Tom and Lisa, visited their home invited and uninvited. He had to be sure she was safe and they were what they said they were. He’d even managed to ward their home without them knowing, as he’d done to the shop to protect Emma. The first week or so, Dean had driven by or showed up unexpectedly to check on her. Lisa thankfully laughed it off as a quirk of his, knowing it was only Dean in the picture taking care of his child. 

 

When Saturday finally rolled Dean found himself preparing for the hour drive to Fargo, for their adoptive family to meet his little girl for the first time. Anticipation flooded his body. He couldn’t sit still. He had packed the car with the gifts, party decorations and anything else he thought Emma might need. He’d showered, shaved and dressed. He now paced the living room waiting for Sam or Emma to wake. At least then he’d have someone to focus on. Sam was up first. He climbed down the stairs, stopping to stare at Dean. “Dude, you ok?” Dean stopped and turned to him. “Yeah, why?” Sam cocked his head to the side and quirked an eyebrow. “Because it looks like you’re wearing a hole in the wood floor there. You know there’s nothing to be nervous about. They’re going to love Emma.”

 

As if on cue, they heard Emma babbling in her room. “Da da, Da da.” Was repeated several times. Dean crossed to her bedroom door and peeked in. She stood in her crib, when she saw him she started bouncing on little legs excited for her father to pick her up. Dean walked over and picked her up, holding her to his chest to smell her hair. He breathed in the scent of baby shampoo, a scent he never expected to fall in love with. “Come on little one, let’s get you changed and then breakfast. He quickly changed her out of her sleeper and diaper into a clean diaper. He put her down and let her walk out of her room to the kitchen in just her diaper. No sense in dressing her when he’d just have to strip her after she ate. 

 

Sam took one look at her and chuckled, seeing her little belly sticking out. She looked up at him and rubbed her belly, then put her arms up for him to lift her into her highchair. As he bent to pick her up he heard. “Up.” Sam kissed her forehead and placed her in the highchair. Dean followed her in and stood, watching the scene transpire. “Did you hear her Dean? She said up.”

Dean was smiling. Of course he’d heard her. “Yeah, she seems to say only the things that matter to her. Ok, Emma, what would you like today? How about some cereal and applesauce?” Dean looked at her only to see her rubbing her belly. “Mmmhmm.” Was the response he got. He poured cereal into a small bowl and set it down in front of her. Her little hands brought the bowl toward her belly and she began to feed herself. She eyed Dean, waiting for the applesauce. When he wasn’t fast enough in getting it to her she let out a little growl and clapped her hands. “Emma, we’ve talked about this. Little girls don’t growl for their food.” She looked up at him and rubbed her belly again and growled. “Emma, no. Who taught you that anyway?” Emma looked at him and then at Sam and pointed to him. “Una Am.” 

 

Sam’s mouth dropped open as he looked between Emma and Dean. Throwing his hands up he shook his head. “No I didn’t.” 

Dean looked at Emma. “Did Uncle Sam teach you to growl?” 

She put her head down and pouted, then quietly shook her head no. When she looked up her eyes were filled with tears. Dean crouched in front of her and wiped away her tears. “Don’t cry, just don’t growl and don’t blame Uncle Sam. Got it?” 

She looked up through wet lashes and smiled. Dean handed her a spoon and applesauce and then poured himself a cup of coffee. Sam finished his coffee and left to get ready to go. 

 

An hour later, Sam was ready and Dean was putting the finishing touches on Emma’s pigtails. “Dean you two ready?” Dean came out, followed by Emma dressed in her party dress. “Well, look who looks absolutely beautiful.” 

  
  


She smiled up at Sam and the reached for Dean’s hand. They walked out to the car while Sam set the alarm on the cabin and locked up. Dean buckled Emma into her car seat and then slid behind the wheel. Once Sam was in, they drove to pick up the cake. Sam took the order receipt from Dean and went in to get the cake. He walked out with two cake boxes. Dean looked at Sam in confusion as Sam placed the cakes in the trunk with the rest of the birthday gear before getting back in. “The woman made Emma her own little cake. She said that way Emma could smash it. Apparently it’s a thing for someone’s first birthday.” Sam shrugged. Dean rolled his eyes, put the car into drive and pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway for their drive to Fargo.

 

After the drive, Emma was a little wound up. She’d never been in the car for that long. Once Dean took her out of her car seat she settled. She pointed to the ground, wanting to be able to walk. He let her down, but took her hand in his. He tossed the keys to Sam as they walked to the trunk. As Sam opened it, Dean reached in and grabbed the diaper bag and the two bags with presents. Sam carried the cakes and the party supplies. As they walked into the hotel, they were met by Donna and Jodi. They both took in Emma and gave her warm smiles. Not wanting to scare her, they gave her quiet hellos and brought them to the room they’d reserved for their small gathering. There were three tables decorated with pink and purple table clothes. Sam walked over to one and placed the paper plates, plastic silverware, cups and napkins along with the cakes down. Dean and Emma placed the presents on the other side of the table with the presents that were already there. Emma let go of his hand and became enthralled with the balloons on either side of the tables. 

 

This gave Dean a chance to say hello to everyone there. Alex and Claire sat at one table cell phones in hand, texting and sharing videos between them. They stood to hug him and then Sam then went back to what they were doing. Dean and Sam turned their attention to Jodi and Donna. Well, most of their attention. They talked for awhile, catching up on things they had missed when Dean and Sam had decided to retire. Dean realized he didn’t miss the hunt like he thought he would. They filled Jodi and Donna in on what they had been doing, school for both of them, Dean owning the auto repair shop with Sam working part-time for him, being a father and caring for Emma. Donna’s comment caught him off guard. “You look happy, Dean. Content. I’m happy for you.” She hugged him and planted a kiss on his cheek before going to talk to Sam.

 

Jodi was the first to approach Emma who eyed her with suspicion. It wasn’t until Dean approached that Emma seemed to warm up to her. Only once Emma figured out that Jodi, Donna, Alex and Claire were family, was she willing to approach any of them on her own. With the catching up done for the time being the group sat at the tables, with Emma in a highchair, did they get the party started. Dean took the small cake for Emma out of the box and light the candle as Sam placed a bib on her. She looked expectantly at Dean as he walked toward her as everyone started singing Happy Birthday to her. Sam grabbed his phone and began snapping pictures, knowing this was something Dean would not want to miss documenting. Dean placed the cake in front of her as the signing ended. “Go ahead Emma. Blow out your candle.” He mimicked what she was supposed to do. She sat there, looking at him and then the cake and candle. Dean moved around to her, placing an arm around her and leaning in to help her blow out her candle. Once done, he took the candle away and left the cake. He stood back to watch his one year old daughter with her first birthday cake. She lifted a hand to the cake and swiped at it then brought her fingers to her mouth. The taste of sugar burst on her tongue and she smiled. She grabbed some of the cake and frosting in her hand and brought it to her lips. She smiled up at Dean, eyes sparkling, lips and chin covered with cake. Dean laughed and shook his head while Sam snapped more pictures with Dean’s phone for him. Dean got out the other cake and sliced it to feed the rest of them. 

 

When the sugar high hit them all, Dean decided that Emma opening her presents was a great idea. He wiped her down, thankful that Sam had remembered to put the bib on her. Dean started with the gift from Alex and Claire, helping Emma tear the paper to reveal her present, several picture and word books. Donna handed him the present from her and he let Emma pull out the tissue paper and present from the gift bag. She held up a little leather jacket and sunglasses and looked at Dean. He took them and told her she could wear them later. The next present was from Jodi, Emma ripped the paper apart to find a doll carriage. She clapped her hands at seeing this. Sam gave her his present, the toy phone and stuffed cat. She petted it several times and then dropped it to put the phone to her ear. She babbled into it, saying Da da or Una Am as if on the phone with them. The last present, from Dean was given to her. She held the doll to her chest and then kissed its face. She clapped her hands at the crib, but went back to the doll, trying to figure out how to get the bottle into its mouth. As they cleaned up what trash there was Dean looked at his little girl, muttering to himself. “I can’t believe she’s one.” He felt a pat on his back. 

 

“It happens. They grow. Before ya know it, she’ll be asking for the keys to the car.” Jodi smiled sweetly at him as he looked at her in horror.

 

Dean carried his sleeping child in his arms. She’d curled up on him and had fallen asleep halfway through dinner. She’d tucked her head under his chin, brought her hand up to her mouth and closed her eyes. He managed to finish eating one handed without disturbing her. Once he and Sam were done, he stood gently, hoping not to wake her and thanked everyone for coming to celebrate Emma’s first birthday. With a few quiet goodbyes, he walked to the car. He managed to open the back door and tuck her safely into her car seat. He kissed her forehead and closed the door as softly as he could. He went around the car to the trunk and opened it. Sam walked out a few minutes later, presents in hand and strode to the car. He helped Dean pack them away and closed the trunk. They were both about to get into the car when Jodi walked up to them. She hugged Sam and patted his arm, a warm smile on her face. She walked to Dean and did the same. As she pulled back from him, she placed a hand on his cheek. 

 

“I’m so proud of you, both of you.” She said as she glanced at Sam and back to Dean. “You both support each other and that’s a rare thing these days. But, you Dean you stepped up. Doesn’t matter how she came into this world or who her mom was, is. What matters is that you are her father. You love her and that’s all she knows. You did good. Bobby would be proud. I think your parents would be, too.” 

 

Dean looked away from her, too many emotions running through him and showing on his face. He simply nodded and hugged her before finally whispering a thank you to her. She backed away, wishing them a safe trip back.

 

They waited until Jodi was back inside with everyone before getting into the Impala. Starting the car, Dean looked over at Sam and smiled. Sam looked at him for a moment. “Jodi’s right, Dean. Mom and dad would be proud of you. You’re a great dad.” 

 

Dean closed his eyes, fighting back the emotions threatening to surface. The most important thing to Dean was having been there for all of Emma’s first. First bath, first tooth, first word, first step. And now, her first birthday. Adjusting the rear view mirror, he looked into the backseat at his sleeping child. He felt the love he had for her explode in his chest. She was an unexpected surprise, but the best thing that had ever happened to him. If he had to pick between Emma, getting out of the family business, giving up his past or never having her, never knowing there was more to life than hunting, never truly being happy, he’d pick Emma every time. There really was no choice in the matter.   


End file.
